sleeve knitting

since returning from my trip, i have been out of sorts (that's a nice way of saying 'sick'). as a result, i've not been very intersted in my socks, nor any knitting that takes much thought.

how lucky for fonn! i picked this up again over the last couple of nights. i mostly knitted on the body, going round and round, ... and watching movies. i am almost finished with the lower body (probably lacking a few centimeters), so i went ahead and started a sleeve. i would love to be knitting both sleeves at once, but i am working on dpns, and only have one set of the harmony needles for the sleeve knitting.

my concern is over gauge. that means i must cast on for the second sleeve and knit it as soon as i finish the first (can't have sleeve orphans!).

though there's a perpetual ebb and flow with my knitting, i am anxious to keep moving forward and get to the fun part ... ie: the fairisle yoke!

i'm back!

and i can't sleep!

it's been a long day. after arriving back in the USA, my connecting flight home was canceled. then, it was delayed. and delayed. and delayed again.

i got tired (to say the least) and rented a car to drive the rest of the way home, and after paying up, two other stranded passengers 'found' me and we split the rental to our destination. thank goodness for strangers !

regardless, i got a fair amount of knitting done. i even finished a PAIR of socks!


hurray for jaywalkers! (... pattern on ravelry.) though i'm not a fan of grumperina's blog, i do adore the jaywalker pattern. it has kinda ruined me in terms of self striping yarns. it can be frustrating to figure out what size to knit, and fine tuning the fit. but, once that is done, it makes everything look good.

i finished these socks on my mexico trip. of course, i was thrilled to have a pair vs orphans! i was lazy in modeling the socks. it was too hot and sticky to pull the socks on (hello tropics!), and then i thought the blue of the pool would make a great contrast and background. and my sockens are witches ... they float !


... but stuart, he floats via frisbee.

(it was lightening when i rolled into town, and then thundering ... and supposedly my delayed flight eventually made it here as well ... but i have not heard from the airline. perhaps i should call the girls in baggage claim again ? ... it's been raining hard for awhile too .... )

no knitting content

i am feeling rather lazy, so all we get is a picture of stuart enjoying his vacation in cozumel, mexico. he'll be back home on sunday. he'll find some socken pictures then too!

#4

... that would be orphan #4 in my 'summer of socks' series. i will say, it is time to start knitting the mates.


i finished this socken a couple of days ago, and i am happy to report that i am about 1/2 way through the socken-mate.

i even cast on the mate for my knee hi wool socken, but had to rip because i had goofed up beyond trying to drop down and fix mis-cabled-misscrossings.

hmmm ... so, 4 orphans, 2 mates in the making, 1 retry, and 1 need-to-cast-on. not too bad (for me).

i am flying away this sunday for a week long trip. i will be taking knitting. i am not worried about getting to the airport, security, clothing, etc ... but i am concerned about which knitting projects i will take along to entertain me, because my knitting attention span is wee at best. hmmm .....

all that glitters?

or diamonds sapphires and pearls ? .... sapphire heather wool of the andes, and pony pearl needles.




'tis summer of socks, and i am knitting wool socks ?! yes, i am. 'tis summer, and i am knitting ... socks .......

i am knitting on lots of socks. i am aiming for pairs. but, right now, i am just enjoying socks .....

these? i have made these before. and i love 'em, though i've not yet had a seasonal opportunity to wear them. and i'm making more. why? because i wanted to try out some of the knitpicks yarns ... incase i choose to knit a sweater for the fall/winter.

did you see the wee stitch marker on the side of my leg? that's where i switched to ball #2. so, if you are making a pair of (knee hi) socks, i almost used up all of ball #2 (on the first sock).

specs:

yarn: kp's wool of the andes
needles: pony pearls, size US 3
pattern: tyrolean stockings, IK fall '07

knitterly quote of the day ....

"Using yarn doubled up. First project using laceweight yarn."

(quote found on ravelry ....)

i mean, it's lace wt., does that really count if it's being used doubled (hello ! it's not lace wt. anymore !!!!) ?!

sunshine socken

when you finally figure out a pattern (not the stitch as much as the relationship of yarn/needles/gauge) it then falls under your repertoire of mindless knitting.

that's what the jaywalker (ravelry link) has become.

an aside: if you have not gone and signed up for ravelry, go and do that now. it's a data base, and an incredible resource for knitters and crocheters.

i have only completed one pair, though i have knitted many jaywalkers. but, i have figured out that, for me, using size 2.5mm needles, knitting the smallest size, and doing an extra set of double decreases on the foot only, fits my foot perfectly.

the yarn pictured is lion brand's new sock ease in colorway lemon drop 204. i picked it up at a hobby lobby for $6.94/ball. someone asked me how i liked it ... so far, it knits like any other basic wool/nylon commercial socken yarn. i have had some issues with splittiness, but i could blame the yarn or all the old movies i've been watching on TCM.

2 FO's

i have actually finished a couple of things, though ... not pairs. i do not plan on these being orphans for long. i would had cast on for the second jaywalker, had i thought to pack the 2nd ball of yarn. i guess i didn't expect to actually get a sock knitted so quickly (i started the jaywalker on the 4th).

on my right foot, i am wearing my raindrop lace sock (by fibertrends). the yarn is lovely ! it's the knitting iris socken yarn.

on my left foot, i am wearing a jaywalker. since that pattern's debut, it's hard to resist using it for self-striping yarns. the yarn is marks & kattens clown (a cotton/wool/nylon blend).

regarding the jaywalker, i have found that the 2.5mm needle works best for me, no matter the fingering yarn. i knit the smaller of the two sizes, and when i get to the foot, i do an extra set of decrease across the top of the foot on (an otherwise) 'work even' round.

so, two socks finished. two socks that need mates, ... and of course, i have other yarns/patterns that might tempt me.